Cheeseburger Pasta (One Pot)
Cheeseburger pasta with ground beef, cheddar, mustard, and pickles in a creamy cheese sauce is one of my go-to weeknight suppers. Many recipes call for ketchup for sweetness, but I prefer a can of diced tomatoes—they add depth and make the sauce a bit less heavy.
The sauce starts with a simple roux, then thickens with whole milk and melted cheddar. I like yellow mustard for tang and lots of pickles for texture. Honestly, the pickles are the main ingredient that makes this pasta taste like a cheeseburger to me! I also like adding the onions at the end to keep some raw onion bite. I make this recipe every few weeks; even my dad loves it. If you like this recipe, you might enjoy my spaghetti carbonara, hamburger stew, or lasagna stew.
Jump to:
Ingredients For Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps thicken the cheese sauce.
- Cheddar Cheese: I recommend grating block cheese because it melts better than pre-shredded.
- Cream Cheese: Adds extra creaminess and helps smooth out the cheese sauce.
- Diced Tomatoes: Provide acidity and balance without using ketchup.
- Dill Pickles: Makes the pasta taste like a cheeseburger! Chop them small for even distribution.
- Fusilli: A short corkscrew-shaped pasta. Sometimes called rotini.
- Ground Beef: Letting it sear undisturbed is one of the keys to the flavor. All the little brown bits sticking to the pan get scraped into the sauce for an extra umami boost.
- Milk: I use whole milk for all of my recipes.
- Onion: Stirring it in at the end keeps some of its raw bite, similar to fresh onions on a burger.
- Yellow Mustard: Helps cut through the richness of the cheese sauce and mimics classic cheeseburger flavor.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Butter: Use an equal amount of margarine.
- Cheddar Cheese: Replace with an equal amount of Monterey Jack, Colby, or mild Gouda for similar melt and flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes: Use canned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce equally.
- Dill Pickles: Substitute with an equal amount of sweet pickles or ½ cup of your favorite pickle relish.
- Fusilli: Swap with any short pasta like bow ties, penne, or elbow macaroni. If you use macaroni, it’s basically cheeseburger mac and cheese since this recipe is a riff on my mac and cheese recipe.
- Ground Beef: Replace with ground turkey, chicken, or a plant-based ground meat alternative in the same amount.
- Milk: Use an equal amount of half-and-half (sometimes called blend).
- Onion: Replace with an equal amount of diced shallots or add onion powder to taste.
- Prepared Yellow Mustard: Use Dijon or whole-grain mustard, but add it to taste as they have a stronger flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Replace with an equal amount of mascarpone, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or omit.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this cheeseburger pasta recipe:
- Bacon: Stir in ½ cup of cooked, crumbled bacon before serving.
- Barbecue Sauce: Replace the yellow mustard with barbecue sauce.
- Bell Peppers: Sauté 1 cup of diced bell peppers with the ground beef.
- Buffalo Style: Stir in ¼ cup of hot sauce with the tomatoes.
- Buttery Crumb Topping: Sauté 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs in 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle over the finished pasta.
- Caramelized Onions: Cook 1 cup of thinly sliced onions until golden brown and stir them in before serving.
- Chopped Tomatoes: Stir in 2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes instead of canned.
- Crushed Red Pepper: Add crushed red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
- Garlic: Sauté 2 minced garlic cloves with the butter before adding the flour.
- Green Onions: Sprinkle ½ cup of sliced green onions over the top before serving.
- Hot Dogs: Stir in 1 cup of sliced cooked hot dogs before serving.
- Italian Seasoning: Add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning with the salt and pepper.
- Jalapeños: Stir in ½ cup of chopped pickled or fresh jalapeños.
- Ketchup: Replace the diced tomatoes with ½ cup of ketchup.
- Mushrooms: Sauté 1 cup of sliced mushrooms with the ground beef.
- Parmesan Cheese: Stir in ½ cup of grated Parmesan with the pasta at the end.
- Pickle Juice: Add pickle juice to the sauce to taste for extra tang.
- Spinach: Stir in 2 cups of fresh spinach with the cooked noodles and cook until wilted.
- Taco Seasoning: Add 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Stir in 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce with the mustard.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Cheeseburger Pasta
STEP 1: Cook the pasta, set aside some cooking water, and drain. In the same pot, brown the ground beef.
STEP 2: Cook a simple roux of flour and butter. Let it bubble without browning.
STEP 3: Whisk in the milk.
STEP 4: Add the yellow mustard, salt, and pepper and stir.
STEP 5: Add the grated cheddar and cream cheese when the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir until melted and smooth.
STEP 6: Stir in the diced tomatoes, chopped pickles, and the reserved pasta water.
STEP 7: Add the cooked pasta, browned beef, and diced onion.
STEP 8: Stir to combine and continue to cook until heated through. Serve hot.
Expert Tips
1. I recommend using a digital kitchen scale for best results.
2. Measuring and prepping all ingredients before you start cooking helps things come together smoothly without rushing.
3. Forming the beef into thin patties before cooking helps develop a better sear and prevents it from steaming in its juices.
Recipe Notes
- Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot to prevent scorching. A wider surface area also helps the beef brown more evenly.
- If the beef releases a lot of grease, you can spoon some out but leave a little behind for added flavor in the sauce.
To Make A Baked Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and transfer the finished pasta to a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbly. Add 1 cup (60 g) of Panko breadcrumbs to the melted butter and toast until golden, stirring often.
- Sprinkle the toasted Panko crumbs over the pasta (with a little more cheese if you like) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot.
Storage
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring in a splash of milk if needed to loosen the sauce. You can also gently reheat in the microwave.
- For easy freezing, transfer the cooled pasta to a large zipper-top bag, spreading it out into a flat, even layer. Remove as much air as possible before sealing to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce if needed.
More Hearty Pasta Recipes
Did you make this cheeseburger pasta? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!
Printable Recipe Card
Cheeseburger Pasta (One Pot)
Special Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon optional
- Rubber spatula or sturdy spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fusilli pasta, uncooked
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup yellow prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ cup cream cheese, full-fat
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes, canned
- 1 ½ cups dill pickles, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
Instructions
- Bring a 5 to 6-quart (5 to 6-litre) pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve ½ cup (125 ml) pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Return the pot to the burner over medium heat. Form the ground beef into thin patties and place them in the dry pot. Press down to sear and let cook undisturbed until mostly browned. Break up the patties into bite-sized pieces, stir to finish cooking, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the same pot, leaving the beef fat for extra flavor if desired. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without browning, stirring often.
- Add the milk, yellow mustard, salt, and black pepper, stirring until smooth. Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Add the grated cheddar cheese and cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in the diced tomatoes, chopped pickles, and reserved pasta water until fully combined.
- Add the drained pasta, cooked ground beef, and diced onion to the sauce, stirring to coat everything evenly. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, or until everything is heated through. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot to prevent scorching. A wider surface area also helps the beef brown more evenly.
- If the beef releases a lot of grease, you can spoon some out but leave a little behind for added flavor in the sauce.
To Make A Baked Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and transfer the finished pasta to a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbly. Add 1 cup (60 g) of Panko breadcrumbs to the melted butter and toast until golden, stirring often.
- Sprinkle the toasted Panko crumbs over the pasta (with a little more cheese if you like) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot.
Storage
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring in a splash of milk if needed to loosen the sauce. You can also gently reheat it in the microwave.
- For easy freezing, transfer the cooled pasta to a large zipper-top bag, spreading it out into a flat, even layer. Remove as much air as possible before sealing to prevent freezer burn. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat it on the stovetop with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Hi, I’m Kelly Neil. I’m a food photographer, recipe developer, and the creator of kellyneil.com, where I share Nova Scotia-inspired recipes and simple comfort food. I’ve worked with brands such as Loblaws, Lee Valley, Cavendish Farms, Canada Beef, and many more. Subscribe to my email newsletter for new recipes and inspiration!
